Met Office Urges 21 UK Regions to Prepare Emergency Kits as New Weather Alert Hits
Large swathes of England have been placed under a fresh weather alert, with the Met Office strongly advising households to assemble an 'emergency kit' in preparation for potential flooding. The national forecaster has issued a new warning as persistent rain and heavy showers are predicted to cause significant surface water issues across multiple counties.
Yellow Warning Details and Affected Areas
The yellow weather warning comes into effect from 5am on Thursday, February 5 and remains active throughout the entire day. This alert specifically covers 21 locations across southern England and Wales, with meteorologists anticipating rainfall totals of 10 to 20mm across most areas, and some isolated spots potentially receiving over 30mm of precipitation.
The Met Office has highlighted that saturated ground conditions from previous weather systems make some low-impact surface water flooding particularly likely in the warned regions. Officials have cautioned that homes and businesses could experience flooding, while transport networks may face disruptions to bus and train services, with road journeys potentially delayed by spray and standing water.
Separate Scottish Alert and Broader Forecast
In addition to the southern warning, a separate rain alert has been activated for Angus (Central, Tayside & Fife) and Aberdeenshire (Grampian) from 6pm on Wednesday until 12pm on Thursday. This northern warning predicts 15 to 30mm of rainfall across wide areas, with some locations possibly seeing up to 40mm as heavy rain develops later on Wednesday and continues through Thursday morning.
For Thursday's national forecast, the Met Office predicts: 'Rain moves northwards through the day, turning heavy in places with possible snow across north Wales, the Pennines and Scottish mountains. Windy conditions persisting strongly in the north with average temperatures.'
Specific Regions Under Warning
The areas covered by the Met Office rain warning include:
- London & South East England
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Portsmouth
- Southampton
- West Sussex
- South West England
- Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Dorset
- Plymouth
- Somerset
- Torbay
- Wiltshire
Meanwhile, Scotland is experiencing varied conditions with snow on higher ground and rain in some areas. A separate yellow snow alert remains in force across northern and eastern Scotland, with additional rain warnings active in Grampian and Central, Tayside & Fife regions.
Preparation Advice and Weekend Outlook
The Met Office is urging residents in affected locations to take immediate precautionary measures, including:
- Checking whether their properties are at risk of flooding
- Preparing a comprehensive flood plan
- Assembling an emergency flood kit containing essential supplies
Looking ahead to the weekend, the forecaster's outlook for Friday to Sunday indicates: 'Wintry hazards continuing for the northern half of the UK, with outbreaks of rain in the south. Some drier spells expected on Saturday, but conditions remaining mostly cloudy into the weekend period.'
Today's weather is forecast to bring cloudy conditions with occasional sunny spells over southern counties, while northern England and Northern Ireland may experience rain that spreads southward as winds intensify tonight.
